Special Service and Features
Union Agriculture Minister Shri. Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates the 24th World Coconut Day celebrations ; Coconut Development Board organises a Programme in Kochi too
Kochi : September 02, 2022
Kochi: Shri. Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture Minister virtually inaugurated the 24th World Coconut Day celebrations and declared the National awards and Export Excellence Awards of the Board in Junagadh, Gujarat. While inaugurating the 6th State Centre of the Board in Gujarat, the Minister said that the topography and the climatic conditions of Gujarat are very much congenial for growing coconut and the newly established State Centre which will definitely help in boosting the coconut cultivation in the state. He said that the state is having strong presence in the cultivation of coconut with around 25000 farmers. The State Centre of the Board will support the coconut farmers by implementing various programmes of CDB and will provide guidance in scientific cultivation methods and processing and marketing of coconut.
The Minister on behalf of the Prime Minister of India congratulated all the Award winners of the Board and once again assured the farmers that the opening of the State Centre of CDB office will definitely be a boon to the coconut farmers of Gujarat. 1000 coconut farmers attended the seminar on good agriculture practices.
On the occasion of World Coconut Day, programmes were also held at Hotel Le Meridien in Marad, Kochi under the auspices of the Coconut Development Board. In the morning ceremony in Kochi, the event in Junagadh was live streamed.
Dr. N Vijayalakshmi IAS, Chairperson, Coconut Development Board welcomed the gathering and spoke on the status of coconut cultivation and processing in the country. Dr. Jelfina C Alouw, Executive Director, Shri. Rajendra Kumar Kataria IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Horticulture and Sericulture, Government of Karnataka , Shri. K. Babu, MLA, Thripunithura also spoke.
Shri. K. Babu stressed on the importance of coconut in the state and emphasized on the need for opening new avenues in the value addition of coconut for ensuring better remuneration to the farmers.
Shri. Antony Assamparambil, Chairman, Maradu Muncipality, Shri. Siby Xavier, Councillor, Maradu Municipality, Shri. Narayanan Master, Vice Chairman of the Board, Shri. Reghunath, Member of the Board, other Board Members, international delegates, recipients of various awards, scientists and around 500 progressive farmers from across the country attended the programme. Distribution of various national awards of the board was also held in the function. A total of 33 awards were distributed to winners including to those from Kerala. Nine of these awards were given to those who had shown excellence in exporting coconut products
An exhibition showcasing various value added coconut products was also held at the venue wherein Coconut Development Board, International Coconut Community, Kerala and Tamilnadu Agricultural Universities, CPCRI, entrepreneurs and quality certification agencies displayed their products and services.
An International Workshop on Good Agricultural Practices, is being organized jointly by Government of India and International Coconut Committee during 2-4 September 2022. The International Workshop will be attended by experts from over seven major coconut growing countries.
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